Nicely done fellas. Does this include Android Auto?

    pcrzdxgofwso it looks like the update has been moved to the beta channel. I don't see anyone reporting any issues in the Discord / Matrix rooms, so it'll probably be moved to stable soon, though keep in mind that that can change if any alpha/beta testers encounter any problems.

    Factory images for December were just released for supported devices, but neither Pixel 4a 5G nor Pixel 5 images were included. At least we gof AOSP fixes. Is Pixel 5a (still supported) hardware that different from Pixel 4a 5G and Pixel 5?

      OpenSource-Ghost

      Unfortunately, that doesn't matter. Google dropped support for the Pixel 4a 5G and Pixel 5 - meaning they won't receive further firmware updates.

      Updates are divided into 2 parts and I think the first part, AOSP updates, can be backported and applied to Pixel phones of the same Android version, even if model support is dropped. The second part is the firmware, drivers, etc. and that part uses closed-source component updates that are dependent on Google's support.

      Google does say that support dates are "at least until" and we can see further updates in the future. It is just hard to justify dropping support for Pixel 4a 5G and Pixel 5 while continuing to support Pixel 5a because all 3 of them use the same Snapdragon chip and the same kernel version 4.19, which also happens to be the long-term support branch.

        OpenSource-Ghost Yeah, I'm bummed, but it looks like Google did in fact drop support for the 5 and 4a5g. The December factory images are up on the Google developer site and there are no new images for the 5 and 4a5g. Like you say, it makes no sense, since Google is still supporting the 5a, which has the same chipset. I was hoping Google would have a heart and continue support, since it would be so easy. It doesn't even seem like one can blame Qualcomm, who was always supposedly the problem in the past.

        And of course Google doesn't have any official forums or tech support email or any way to contact them to complain about this.

          @gosrox That site is full of misinformation aimed at pushing a narrative and doesn't belong here.

          @OpenSource-Ghost @cb474 @gosrox The devices received all of the promised support along with an extra month for the Pixel 5. It would have been nice if they got supported for longer but they delivered what was promised and expected. You should always be prepared to replace the devices as soon as their minimum guaranteed support is over. People also need to start following our advice on recommended devices and not purchasing devices nearing end-of-life. We've recommended not buying anything older than the Pixel 6 since the Pixel 6 was launched, due to the increase to 5 years of support. Even the Pixel 5a wasn't a particularly good deal at that point when comparing 3 years to 5 years. You should take into account the price of the device over the long term. An old device will need to be replaced sooner than a new one. Pixel 8 has 7 years of support from launch as the minimum instead of 5 years for 6th/7th generation Pixels. You know the minimum support guarantee when you purchase a device.

          This update was an early release before the QPR1 update so none of this is on-topic for discussion about it.

            GrapheneOS I think everyone understood these phones would probably reach end of life when Google said they would. People are just griping a little. It's reasonable to gripe when Google is being so unreasonable in how they support devices (devices with the identical chipset, so the usual excuse of not having the drivers from Qualcomm doesn't apply).

            People were also just hoping that it might be different with these particular devices, because, again, despite being from different model years they (unusually) had the same chipset and are basically identical in terms of internal components. Indeed, for a long time the GrapheneOS install guide itself, under recommended devices, suggested this might happen with the Pixel 5 and 4a5G. So it was hardly only a few people on the forum that thought this.

            I do think it is a false economy to assume that it's alway a better deal to buy a new phone with longer support. I bought a 4a5G a year ago for $134. It would take many years of phones at that sort of price, to equal the cost of a Pixel 8. In the mean time, the money saved can earn interest (if one is diligent about such things). There is a time value to money (something most people really don't understand or take into account). At a given cost, it is much more expensive to buy something in the present, than in the future. Of course, if one just keeps skipping from cheap phones, with a year or two of updates left, to the next, one does have to put up with the hassle of switching phones.

            In addition, a lot of people are skeptical as to whether or not Google will make good on it's promise to support the Pixel 8 for seven years. That's a long time and Google has a habit of breaking promises. In seven years time I wouldn't be suprised if Google has dropped the Pixel line altogether. Remember the beloved Nexus phones?

            So I'd say for $200 or less, a Pixel 6 right now is a good deal. But the Pixel 8 is not a good deal, both in terms of the time value of money and because there are too many future unknowns. Unfortunately, because of the reception issues, the Pixel 6 is not a great phone, so choices are kind of bleak right now, for people wanting or needing to save money.

            GrapheneOS

            Was I correct about AOSP backports for Android 14 still applying to all Android 14 devices, including the ones no longer supported?